To keep him safely till his day of trial. May't please you, lords, to grant the commons' suit. Boling. Fetch hither Richard, that in common view He may surrender; so we shall proceed Without suspicion. York. I will be his conduct 7 [Exit. Boling. Lords, you that are here under our arrest, Procure your sureties for your days of answer :— Little are we beholden to your love, [To CARLISle. And little look'd for at your helping hands. Re-enter YORK, with King RICHARD, and Officers bearing the Crown, &c. K. Rich. Alack, why am I sent for to a king, Before I have shook off the regal thoughts Wherewith I reign'd? I hardly yet have learn'd To insinuate, flatter, bow, and bend my knee:Give sorrow leave a while to tutor me To this submission. Yet I well remember The favours of these men: Were they not mine? Found truth in all, but one; I, in twelve thousand, none. God save the king!-Will no man say, amen? York. To do that office, of thine own good will, Which tired majesty did make thee offer, The resignation of thy state and crown To Henry Bolingbroke. K. Rich. Give me the crown :-Here, cousin, seize the crown; Here, on this side, my hand; on that side, thine. Now is this golden crown like a deep well, The other down, unseen, and full of water: You may my glories and my state depose, But not my griefs; still am I king of those. Boling. Part of your cares you give me with your crown. K. Rich. Your cares set up, do not pluck my cares down. My care is-loss of care, by old care done; Now mark me how I will undo myself:- With mine own tears I wash away my balm,2 God save king Henry, unking'd Richard says, North. read No more, but that These accusations, and these grievous crimes, K. Rich. Must I do so? and must I ravel out Would it not shame thee in so fair a troop, And cracking the strong warrant of an oath, 2 Oil of consecration. Mark'd with a blot, damn'd in the book of heaven:Nay, all of you, that stand and look upon me, Whilst that my wretchedness doth bait myself,— Though some of you, with Pilate, wash your hands, Showing an outward pity; yet you Pilates Have here deliver'd me to my sour cross, And water cannot wash away your sin. North. My lord, despatch; read o'er these articles. K. Rich. Mine eyes are full of tears, I cannot see: And yet salt water blinds them not so much, But they can see a sort3 of traitors here. 4 K. Rich. No lord of thine, thou haught, insult ing man, Nor no man's lord; I have no name, no title,- That I have worn so many winters out, And know not now what name to call myself! Good king,-great king,-(and yet not greatly good,) Let it command a mirror hither straight; That it may show me what a face I have, Boling. Go some of you, and fetch a looking-glass. [Exit an Attendant. North. Read o'er this paper, while the glass doth come. K. Rich. Fiend! thou torment'st me ere I come to hell. Boling. Urge it no more, my lord Northumberland. North. The commons will not then be satisfied. K. Rich. They shall be satisfied: I'll read enough, When I do see the very book indeed Where all my sins are writ, and that's-myself. Re-enter Attendant, with a Glass. Give me that glass, and therein will I read.— And made no deeper wounds?-O, flattering glass, Thou dost beguile me! Was this face the face, As brittle as the glory is the face; [Dashes the Glass against the ground. For there it is, crack'd in a hundred shivers.-Mark, silent king, the moral of this sport,— |